Physical Resources in the Nursing Practice Environment
Question:
Discuss About The Essential Component Practice Environment?
Nursing like any other filed requires adequate resources for the individual to execute their responsibilities. Rivaz, Momennasab, Yektatalab, & Ebadi (201seven) suggest that resources can either constrain or improve work environment by defining the conditions that the professional works in. This essay discusses lack of adequate resources as a factor that affects nursing decision-making.
Resources can be both physical and human when applied in the field of nursing. Physical resources may include sufficient and appropriate equipment and physical structure. Nurses require modern equipment where nurses can use to run simple tests to enable them make decisions on patients (Mosadeghrad, 2014). For example, when filling clinical information, nurses require tools for capturing exact patient details like, pulse and temperature to accurately use them in decision-making. Further, the rise of healthcare informatics has led to the development of modern healthcare system that are used to capture and assist in decision-making. Further, Holloway & Galvin (2016) add that, fully equipped nurses with relevant resources make better decisions than nurses who are not. On the other hand, when appropriate tools and equipment are available, the nurse can work without endangering their lives or basing their judgment on assumption rather than data. Further, inappropriate equipment lead to disruptions, delays, missed care and even emotional tensions which compromise decision-making in the whole system.
Human resources entail the number of nurses available in a workstation. The magnitude of work varies from station to station and facility to facility. When there is enough workload distributed among practitioners, it becomes easy for the nurse to manage work stations thus increasing their ability to easily make decisions (Mosadeghrad, 2014). This process reduces burnout and quick decisions to relieve the workload. Further, availability of qualified nurse improves decision-making since it allows nurses to share information and come up with the best decision that meets the clinical situation that they are handling. Inadequate staffing and heavy workloads have a negative impact on individual performance which affects decision-making. On the other hand, Rivaz, Momennasab, Yektatalab, & Ebadi (2017) suggest that, nurse’s process and make decisions that are passed to other levels of the hospital or stations. In the case of unqualified nurses, there may be a problem in making the right decisions, since if unqualified nurses capture wrong information, then the clinical decision that follows is also wrong. Thus there is need for adequate resources both physical and human. Thompson, Aitken, Doran, & Dowding (2013) adds that nurses do not only rely on their knowledge but rather use different resources available within the facility to make their decision. Therefore, resources should be made available to nurses to improve their decision-making abilities.
This essay analyses the case of Ashton a 19-year-old type two diabetes patient at stage four. I chose this essay because I have an interest in diabetic patients since I come from a family with a diabetic brother who is also struggling to manage his medical situation. The health issue that the patient faces is management of the diabetic condition through adhering to diet and medication. Inzuchi, Bergenstal, Buse, Diamant, & Ferranni (2012) state that diabetic patients suffer from competing priorities that make them fail to manage their conditions. The competing priorities make some patient to forego or forgetting taking their medication or even taking meals that they are not supposed to take. One way to survive with diabetics is to manage one’s diet and medication at all times to keep the insulin level in check and avoid medical complications that may arise from the process.
Human Resources in the Nursing Practice Environment
Ashton is faced with the challenge of managing his medication and has mostly been assisted by his mother. This is because he is in denial and does not want to lead a life that is different from his peers. This is the reason why the information collected reveals that he took seven rum and cokes with his friends. The patient seems to be absent from his own care and to management of the disease and has left it to his mother. Unnikrishnan, Shah, & Mohan, (2016) report that, studies reveal that diabetes distress is a major challenge that affects patients and leads the poor to management of the condition. This calls for lifestyle modification which restrains him from enjoying the daily patterns of life that others enjoy (Freeborn, Dyches, Roper, & Mandleco, 2013). Such tendencies can lead to stigmatization from his peers since the disease makes him look different from the rest. This could be the reason why he took rum and coke as a way of attaining social identity and at the same time enjoying the part of life that the disease denies him.
The patient’s situation is critical since in the recent years, recommended care for diabetes has shifted to a patient-centered approach. This approach is based on the effectiveness of self-to management in reducing challenges facing people with the disease (Hackel, 2013). Patients have to learn to manage the condition on their own to reduce risk factors like obesity and sedentary lifestyle. Scheen (2013) suggests that to assist the patient manage the condition, there is need for lifestyle counselling to address psychosocial challenges faced in the environment that the patient operates in. The situation is critical since without proper medical and social assistance, Ashton may not be able to manage the situation due to the inability to handle psychosocial challenges related to his conditions. Therefore, the clinical and social approaches can be important in addressing the patient situation.
Goal one: To assist Ashton develop self-to management abilities for his condition by taking medication within a period of six months.
The goal is specific since it focusses on medication intake by Ashton. It is measurable since the progress of the patient can be measured by assessing the number of medicine taken. Further the goal is attainable because the patient can learn to observe the required medication. It is also realistic since it deals with something that the patient can do and lastly it is time bound since it has a specific period of time.
One element that lacks in the life of Ashton is self-to management of his diabetic condition through taking his medication. Collaborative care can be used in assisting the patient develop self-to management abilities by working on a to management plan together with him. Through setting of personal goals, and making frequent daily decisions that fit his life, Ashton can be assisted to learn how to manage his condition without assistance from others. Patient empowerment and capacity building can be sued to achieve compliance to the set therapeutic goals. The health care provider has to adopt a participatory approach in enabling the patient to overcome the challenges in managing the condition.
Analyzing the Case of Ashton – A Type Two Diabetes Patient at Stage Four
Goal two: To provide Ashton with practical tool for developing healthy eating patterns through emphasizing appropriate portions to improve overall health and maintain the pleasure of eating within a period of six months.
The goal is specific since it focuses on a specific issue of developing healthy patterns, it is measurable since the amount of food taken can be measured through portions while at the same time the insulin levels can also be measured. The goal is attainable since Ashton can be trained to achieve the desired goal. Then it is realistic since it can be attained by the patient and lastly it is time bound since it has a timeline.
The approach of putting patients in control of their lies can be used to assist Ashton to manage his condition. Since the healthcare provider or social support person is not present in all situations that he is exposed to, then the power to control the condition lies in the hands of the patient. Three fundamental aspects of choices, control and consequences can be used to achieve this goal. Ashton needs to learn how to embrace and make responsible choices and the impact that they have on his life. Evaluation of the outcomes will be done through use of an assessment questionnaire that measures the achievements achieved by the patient through analyzing the patterns of life. The questionnaire will focus on both qualitative and quantitative measures that determine changes and how regular the patient follows the required regulations. Insulin level tests will be used as a final measure that will be done every week for six months to determine if the patient is able to manage his condition.
References
Freeborn, D., Dyches, T., Roper, S. O., & Mandleco, B. (2013). Identifying challenges of living with type 1 diabetes: child and youth perspectives. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 24(6), 109-121.
Hackel, J. M. (2013). Patient-Centered Care’ for Complex Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus–-Analysis of Two Cases. Clinical Medical Insights: Endocrinology and Diabetes, 7-34.
Holloway, I., & Galvin, K. (2016). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare (Vol. 3). London: John Wiley & Sons.
Inzuchi, S., Bergenstal, R., Buse, j., Diamant, M., & Ferranni, E. (2012). Management of Hyperglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes: A Patient-Centered Approach. Diabetes Care, 35, 1364-1379.
Mosadeghrad, A. M. (2014). Factors influencing healthcare service quality. International Journal of Helath Policy and Management, 3(2), 77-89.
Rivaz, M., Momennasab, M., Yektatalab, S., & Ebadi, A. (2017). Adequate Resources as Essential Component in the Nursing Practice Environment: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Clinical Research, 11(6).
Scheen, A. (2013). Pharmacokinetic considerations for the treatment of diabetes in patients with chronic kidney disease. Expert Opinion Drug Metabolic Toxicology, 9(5), 529–50.
Thompson, C., Aitken, L., Doran, D., & Dowding, D. (2013). An agenda for clinical decision making and judgement in nursing research and education. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 50, 1720-1726.
Unnikrishnan, R., Shah, V. N., & Mohan, V. (2016). hallenges in diagnosis and management of diabetes in the young. Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology, 2(18).